


Standing Here

by Emmybazy



Series: Commuter Cake [2]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Commuter Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-12
Updated: 2014-08-12
Packaged: 2018-02-12 21:34:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2125440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmybazy/pseuds/Emmybazy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Calum has no idea why he is forced to look at the most attractive person he's ever seen three times a week.</p><p>Or, Calum and Luke take the same subway to work.</p><p>(Calum's perspective of He Looks So Perfect)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Standing Here

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there!
> 
> Ask and you shall receive! Here's a sequel to He Looks So Perfect! Well, not really a sequel but the same scenes through Calum's eyes. There will definitely be another part, I just don't know what I'm doing yet. I didn't really have the intention of writing multiple parts to this so give me some time but I should be able to write a decent slow burn fic. 
> 
> Also, notice the continuation of the morphed lyrics for the title. That's consistency right there. 
> 
> So yeah. As always thanks for the overwhelming approval of what I write, it kind of shocks me. But in a good way. 
> 
> Again, I'm the only one who read this so expect the grammar/spelling mistakes and embrace the imperfections. Flawed things are better anyways, right?
> 
> I am still not the owner of 5sos and I'm completely content to just admire them and write weird fictitious stories about them.

Oh hell. Calum’s life is so unfair. What did he do to deserve being taunted like this three mornings a week? It’s just plain unfair, someone upstairs must hate him.

The bane of Calum’s life leans against the wall, waiting for the train like he does every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. He’s always dressed in business casual attire, today it’s dark wash neat jeans and a button up rolled at the sleeves. Calum’s hoping that when the weather turns a bit colder, the guy will wear more sweaters. Calum is positive that the guy’s long torso in sweaters will be even harder to deal with than the casual way he wears button ups.

Calum has affectionately nicknamed the guy Blondie in his head. There’s no way the intricate coloring of his hair can be a dye job, Blondie’s got to be a natural. And he always styles it up into a high quiff, lengthening his ridiculous frame even more. Today Blondie’s hair looks especially good. Or maybe Calum is just far too thirsty. He does objectify a guy who he rides the subway with far more than he probably should.

Calum takes a sip of his coffee, sneaking one more glance at Blondie before turning back to look at the tracks. He ponders the state of his life, fantasizing about guys on his train rather than just going out on the weekend and trying to find an actual person who might be interested in him back. It’s just hard to do that when he knows he’ll still have to keep looking at Blondie and his unnaturally good looks three times a week.

Calum likes his smile most. Once Blondie had gotten a text or email or something and his face had lit up when he’d read it, standing on the platform. Calum felt equal parts jealousy and attraction over that smile. And the lip ring! What is Calum supposed to do about the lip ring? Sometimes Blondie bites at it and Calum just wants to know what that feels like.

Calum shakes his head, focusing on the Blink 182 song playing in his ears. He figures Blondie’s too clean cut to listen to the same music Calum does. Probably pop. Someone who looks that good can’t have a good taste in music too. Blondie’s favorite song is probably Call Me Maybe. Yeah, that’s better. Thinking up flaws Blondie inevitably has can only make the situation better.

Calum really doesn’t want to go to work today. He has to, rent is due next week and it’s his turn to buy the house groceries. It’s not like his job pays well, but it is convenient. He works at the student center on campus, taking calls and either answering quick questions or transferring the people to the right person. He works from 9 to 3 on Tuesday, Thursdays, and Fridays so he can go to all of his classes on Monday and Wednesdays. Living off campus for his senior year has been interesting. Mikey and Ashton are constantly on their couch eating pizza and watching bad movies. Calum wonders how they get any of their actual work done, he’s locked in his room most nights working through his text books. The apartment is nice though, right down the street from the subway stop.

The train pulls up and Calum quickly gets on. He likes to jump on the train before even the people getting out make there way through the doors. He always gets the best spots this way, quickly searching through the vacated space. By the time the car is moving again, Calum is relaxed up against the back window, right next to a bar to latch onto if he needs it. Blondie is near the center of the train, arm stretched up to a rubber loop as he attempts not to fall into a woman’s lap. Calum has to turn away and stare out the window just to stop the fond smile from creeping up on his face. He starts mouthing the words of the song playing, trying to focus on the lyrics rather than the way Blondie is shuffling in the middle of the train car.

Calum has realized that the worst part of Blondie is that he’s also kind of endearing. Sure, 80% of the time he’s practically a walking advertisement for having a job that requires business casual clothing. But it’s the other 20% of the time that really makes Calum frustrated. Blondie’s just so...cute. Adorable really. Like now, he’s holding on to the loop on the bar and the rubber isn’t stiff enough to keep him balanced so he’s flopping back and forth as the train moves. Blondie has a focused yet blank expression on his face, he must be deep in thought on this particular train ride. His eyebrows are slightly furrowed and his mouth set.

Calum wonders what someone like Blondie thinks about on trains. Probably something awful, like _I hate that sweet little old lady’s shoes_ or _That baby isn’t adorable in the slightest_. He’s probably the worst. Calum would probably hate him. Him and his...totally cute face when he blinks a few times like he’s coming out of a trance. Oh. Calum needs to stop looking over there.

Calum hears the screech of the brakes that signals Blondie’s stop is coming next. Like clockwork, Blondie moves from his spot to the doors, standing only a few inches away from the glass. He does this every morning, watching the glass as if he thinks it might not open. Calum just wants to pinch his cheeks and reassure him.

The doors slide open. Blondie walks out and Calum says good bye to sex personified and hello to another day of work.

*****

Calum is exhausted, yet kind of happy. He had finished a paper the night before, well, this morning technically, only to realize it’s not due until Wednesday. He even has time to edit it, something he’s never really done before. But he did only get four hours of sleep the night before so he’s a little cranky. He could go for some coffee but he really doesn’t have the spare few bucks until he gets his paycheck on Wednesday, the one from the bar he works a few shifts at on the weekends. It helps make ends meet.

The usual suspects are in the station when he reaches the platform. The couple who run every morning at the same time, it’s probably a good bonding experience. He doesn’t expect to be seeing them much longer though, they don’t look like the type to run in the winter. And then there’s the business people who never look happy. Calum had tried smiling at them a few times when he made eye contact but they just seem perpetually sad. It scares Calum a bit, he’s majoring in business with a minor in entrepreneurial studies, and he doesn’t want to end up with the dead eyes and permanent frowns of the other business types and financial planners.

But Calum has a dream. It’s a small one, he’s not looking for fame and fortune. All he wants to do is own the music shop where he learned to play guitar. Calum had walked in for the first time when he was nine, used children’s guitar in his hand. Mr. Green, the owner, had led him to the room in the back where he does all the teaching. Calum had learned almost everything he knew about playing in that room.

When Calum was thirteen, Mr. Green had started letting Calum help him out with some of the group lessons. At fifteen, Calum learned how to work the register and help people find exactly what they were looking for. By the time Calum turned eighteen, he knew every inch of the store and Mr. Green trusted him to manage it on the weekends. The shop is his favorite place.

Mr. Green and Calum had come to an agreement about the shop. Mr. Green is close to retiring age and he didn’t want the shop in the hands of someone who didn’t love it. Calum, overhearing a phone call between Mr.Green and a friend, suggested that he could buy it one day. Mr. Green had told Calum to get a business degree and the store was his.

So that’s why Calum is studying. He knows music, that aspect of the shop is easy enough. It’s the business stuff he doesn’t get. These past few years, he’s been learning how to buy stock, read trends in the market, he’s taken a few advertisement classes. It’s scary and huge that he’s almost done, but in just under a year he gets to return to the shop and really know how to run it.

Calum stops by his usual pole, leaning against it. The tile is cool against his bare shoulder. He’s kind of kicking himself for wearing a sleeveless shirt, but he didn’t have many other clean shirts. Besides, it’s supposed to be one of the last nice days of the year. As long as it doesn’t spontaneously start raining, in which case he’d have to walk around like he’s in a wet T-shirt contest, he should be fine.

Calum hears the tap of shoes against the concrete coming in his direction. It’s probably the woman whose always wearing sweatpants. She smiles at Calum sometimes. Calum looks over to smile back.

Shit. It’s Blondie. His leather messenger bag that he normally carries in his hand is slung over his shoulder and he cradles a cup of coffee in his hands. Blondie probably just woke up in some random girl's bed and is doing the walk of shame, or something else equally ridiculous that finds an attractive person in a subway station on a Monday morning at this hour. He seems to not have gotten the memo that the weather is going to be sunny because he’s wearing a light jacket over a sweater. Calum was absolutely right about Blondie in sweaters. He hates it.

Blondie glances at Calum before making his way to the back wall. He looks so....perfect. Like he knows how good he looks and he won’t even give Calum a second glance. It’s like Blondie’s daring Calum to talk to him just so he can shut him down. He’s probably arrogant. Full of himself even. Calum would probably hate him.

Calum turns to his iPhone and starts looking through his music, trying to find a song that will get his mind off of Blondie. It’s then he sees that his phone is about to die. In his hurried writing fervor last night, he must have forgotten to plug it in. He can charge it at the library after his first class, but Calum has no idea how he’s going to get through a train ride with Blondie without his music. He looks down the tracks, hoping the train will come sooner rather than later because he’s at 4%. The train pulls up. Calum is waiting to hop on right when the doors open. There’s a seat in the back corner, his ideal place to sit, and there are only a few people back there. He’s in the seat and settled, earbuds playing the last song he’ll probably get to hear, when Blondie walks into the car.

At first, Blondie seems content to stand near the door, fist wrapped around the bar. But Calum sees Blondie’s eyes dart to the seat next to him and Calum hopes he sits down. Maybe Blondie will smell bad, that’s a definite turn off. Or maybe he’ll smell good and torture Calum just that little bit more.

Right before the train starts, Blondie seems to make up his mind and lets go of the bar by the door, headed in Calum’s direction. When the train lurches, Blondie stumbles a bit and ends up crashing into the seat, bumping right up against Calum. The whole event is kind of adorable and Calum can’t help but grin.

“You good?” Calum asks, stopping himself from reaching out a hand to steady Blondie. He’s even harder to look at up close, his eyes a clear blue and skin seemingly soft.

Blondie looks up and meets Calum’s eyes. He looks a bit shocked, like he can’t believe that someone is actually talking to him. But not in the snotty, _I’m better than you_ way but in genuine surprise. Blondie’s eyes dart around Calum’s face while he nods his head a few times and mumbles, “Thank you.”

Calum feels a bit self-conscious under Blondie’s stare so he turns to looks out the window instead. Blondie turns back to face the opposite way, sizing up the older guy to his left. Blondie’s hip is pressed against Calum and their shoulders brush together whenever Blondie fidgets in his seat. Not thirty seconds later, Calum’s phone stops playing music. He glances down at the dark iPhone screen and curses quietly, “Damn.”

Blondie seems startled by that, turning the slightest bit to look at Calum and taking out one of hie earbuds. Calum’s just kind of shocked that he has Blondie’s attention on him again and decides to make use of it while this lasts. Calum looks at Blondie and holds out his phone with a small pout, “My battery just died.”

Blondie looks actually upset for him. For the amount of time Calum’s spent staring at Blondie, he’s shocked to realize he hadn’t noticed the subtle emotions. Calum had always looked for the big ones, wide, sad eyes or deep, bright smiles. But the change from sympathetic to nervous happens quietly, with just a slight turn of Blondie’s lips. Blondie holds up his right earbud, saying, “You can listen to mine. If you’d like,” with a shrug.

Calum smiles. “Thanks.” Blondie is being nice to him. Maybe he’s a good guy after all. It’s a really nice gesture, letting Calum listen with him. Calum takes the earbud. He’s not wasting this opportunity to be close to Blondie, so he puts the earbud in his right ear instead of his left, forcing their heads that much closer together. Blondie’s shoulder is pressed close against Calum’s and the music is surprisingly good. Calum listens to the end of an old punk song, followed by a song he hasn’t really heard before but he really likes.

They stop at the next station like they do every day at this time, to swap out the drivers. Blondie starts to fidget, reaching into his pocket while trying not to disturb the man on his left. Calum figure Blondie is going to looks through his emails so that he doesn’t have to just awkwardly sit here with Calum, but instead Blondie holds his iPod out to Calum. “You can pick the next song if you'd like?”

Calum can’t really figure out why Blondie looks so nervous. Does he think Calum’s going to rob him or something? Then why is he offering his expensive electronic device to Calum? “Thanks. I like what you’ve been playing.” Calum takes the iPod and starts to look through the songs.

Crap. Blondie had really good taste in music. It wasn't a coincidence or mistake that two good songs had been played, Blondie just has good stuff. Calum sees a lot of All Time Low so he chooses an old song he hasn’t listened to in awhile. Blondie stiffens for a second next to Calum before relaxing back into the seat. He looks like he wants to say something, but instead he just says, “Nice choice.”

It’s somehow comforting after that, just sitting with this guy Calum barely knows and listening to music. Blondie keeps his hands in his lap and crosses and uncrosses his legs a few times, he probably doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. Calum makes sure to be careful with the iPod and Blondie makes no move to take it back. They’re approaching Blondie’s stop but he’s not getting up. It’s like he’s off in another world, a world where he doesn’t have to get off the train in just a few seconds.

Calum takes the ear bud out anyways and hands the iPod back to Blondie. Blondie looks terribly confused. Like the iPod was a gift and Calum refusing it doesn’t make sense. Calum grins at Blondie’s drawn in eye brows, “Your stop is next. Thanks.”

Blondie comes back into himself, eyes widening. “Oh.” He smiles a bit at Calum. “Of course.” Calum wants to argue with him, say that no one else would’ve done that, trusted a complete stranger on the subway with holding their iPod. Plus the fact that his earbud was in Calum’s ear, the majority of people would not want stranger ear wax on something they have to put back in their own ear.

Blondie stands when the brakes screech, not moving just yet which is out of character for him. He stands for a few seconds before turning to look down at Calum, still in his seat. Blondie holds out his hand with confidence, “Luke.”

Calum can’t help but smile. Now he has a name for this person that haunts his thoughts. Calum reaches up to shake Luke’s hand, “Calum.”

Luke nods, a small grin taking over his face and the word adorable comes to Calum’s mind again. “Good bye Calum.” Luke walks over to the doors that are just opening.

Calum hopes that this isn’t the last time he’ll get to talk to Luke. Who knows, maybe they’ll become friends. Hoping that this is just the first of many days he’ll get to talk to Luke, Calum calls out as Luke exits the train, “See you tomorrow Luke!”

**Author's Note:**

> So? Was that ok?  
> Honestly, if people want to let me know their opinions on me writing Calum vs. Luke perspective, I'd appreciate it. It's easier for me to write Calum but for most stories it just seems better to write Luke. Recently, I've obviously been writing more Luke, do people hate it? Should I just stick to Calum? If you have an opinion/suggestion/complaint, let me know (on tumblr preferably). It'd be a big help. 
> 
> My tumblr is emmybazy.tumblr.com and I really need to learn how to put links in here.
> 
> Have a fantastic day!


End file.
